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by errantmind 1323 days ago
It is easier to criticise than actually do anything constructive.
6 comments

There are some things that are often even easier than that:

1. not criticizing and not doing anything constructive

2. criticizing while doing something destructive, e.g. like framing every criticism in opposition to doing something constructive, as if the peole who are constructive cannot criticise and those who criticise cannot be constructive.

I would not be able to tell at a glance whether someone critical is doing something constructive or not. Accusing critics of not doing anything constructive is itself not constructive, but just evasion.

I didn't frame it anything like that. Ironically, this is what the post is about: uncharitable cynicism.

Me saying it is easier to criticise than create doesn't mean criticism is always harmful or useless.

Criticism is constructive. 90% of everything is crap, but it’s not always immediately apparent what that is. Society depends on people to filter out all the bad ideas being generated constantly before they can do too much damage.
Not always. 90% of criticism is crap too, and that is what I'm referring to.
But it's just as easy to pander and praise, so this can't be the explanation of why comments tend to skew pessimistic rather than optimistic.
And in the modern social media milieu, the cost/risk/wait/benefit parameters for criticism are enormously improved.
Criticise something that is based in wrong assumptions, is also doing something constructive
That's what gave us Theranos.